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You have to love these 16 rules for success by Bob Parsons, chief of GoDaddy.com :

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone.
I believe that not much happens of any significance when we’re in our comfort zone. I hear people say, “But I’m concerned about security.” My response to that is simple: “Security is for cadavers.” 

2. Never give up.
 Almost nothing works the first time it’s attempted. Just because what you’re doing does not seem to be working, doesn’t mean it won’t work. It just means that it might not work the way you’re doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn’t have an opportunity. 

3. When you’re ready to quit, you’re closer than you think.
 There’s an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: “The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.” 

4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be.
 Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of “undefined consequences.” My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, “Well, Robert, if it doesn’t work, they can’t eat you.” 

5. Focus on what you want to have happen. 
Remember that old saying, “As you think, so shall you be.” 

6. Take things a day at a time.
No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don’t look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time. 

7. Always be moving forward. 
Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages. 

8. Be quick to decide. 
Remember what General George S. Patton said: “A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow.” 

9. Measure everything of significance.
 I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves. 

10. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.
you want to uncover problems you don’t know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven’t examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there. 

11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you’re doing. 
When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place. 

12. Never let anybody push you around. 
In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you’re doing as anyone else, provided that what you’re doing is legal. 

13. Never expect life to be fair. 
Life isn’t fair. You make your own breaks. You’ll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare). 

14. Solve your own problems. 
You’ll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you’ll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: “You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others.” There’s also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: “A wise man keeps his own counsel.” 

15. Don’t take yourself too seriously. 
Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are. 

16. There’s always a reason to smile. 
Find it. After all, you’re really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: “We’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time!”  

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Everyone wants to make money! Some want to make money by owning their own business. All successful entrepreneurs have the self discipline to build their business. Most of us have heard the saying “you need money to make money”. Basically what this means is you must invest money in your business if it’s to make money. Some 24% of all startup small businesses fail within two years. That’s because the life of your business depends on you during these early years. If you must depend on the business it will probably fail. The first years of a business rarely show profit, because you are re-investing your money back in it.

Most of us spend money on entertainment, whether it’s eating out at nice restaurants, movies, cars, bikes, games, big toys, etc….. Some of us can come up with cash for our online business by not eating out one time a month! That should not be so hard to do, as lots of us are spending more and more money on weight loss products!

If you want your business to grow you must feed it. You must spend money to make money, even if it’s a small amount, it will still grow some. You cannot win the lottery without first buying a ticket!

All successful entrepreneurs spend a certain amount each month on their business. Sure you say they are making money so they have it to spend. But actually you start out investing a larger percentage of your profits then you will later on as your business grows. Most people who start an Off-line business usually invest a large amount of capital before they see any money coming in. You have to continually re-invest your money.

That’s where an On-line business is unique. You can start with very little capital and invest as you learn. You do still have to invest some money and time, or you will not grow. You have to spend wisely though, where you will see results. You must read and do some research before you spend. There are lots of ways to throw your money away if you are new and not careful. There are also many ways to receive valuable information online that’s Free. One way is reading Free articles by those who are successful. You will find many of these Free articles at: http://www.best-home-business-ideas.net

Also if you’re in an MLM or affiliate program, you should have an up-line leader. They will help you along with good advice because it’s in their best interest for you to succeed!

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This article may be reprinted providing it is published in it’s entirety, including the author’s bio and hyperlink to the URL below.

About The Author
The author, John Baker, is the editor of Best-Home-Business-eNews. A newsletter dedicated to supporting the home business entrepreneur. If you’re looking for some of the best home business opportunities, tools, thoughts, ideas, and support from a dependable source, come by, visit,and grab a FREE subscription today at: http://www.best-home-business-ideas.net or email your questions to: admin@best-home-business-ideas.net

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Branding is one hot topic, although it is wildly misunderstood. To make things even more confusing, branding is often tossed in the same basket as marketing which makes its application to an entrepreneur or sole-practioner even more unclear.

While out speaking on branding, the question that I hear most is “How do I know if my business or service is brand material?” With businesses opening left and right, and more and more closing each year, I’m glad there are smart business owners open to understanding the issue.

If you’ve found yourself asking the same thing, don’t worry you’re not alone. Perhaps, this can shed some light.

At a recent luncheon, the same question came up again in a different way. I was seated next to an attorney whose sole practice focuses on elder abuse cases, he asked me in rapid succession (a manner that showed me he’d be great in court):

“Isn’t branding for businesses that make a lot of stuff?”
“Doesn’t branding apply only if you want to sell a lot of stuff?”
“Isn’t branding pointless for my kind of business?”

Smiling, I fired back, “yes, yes, and… no”.

Yes, branding is most often associated with businesses that make a lot of stuff. Yes, branding is advantageous if you want to sell a lot of stuff. No, branding is not pointless because every business makes something (or offers a service) and wants to sell it. Branding is about making your product or service known to as many potential customers as possible, consistently, with the most effective use of your time and money. Branding is about repeat business. Branding is about effortless referrals. Wouldn’t that be a benefit to ANY business, especially yours?

To help you gain more brand-worthy clarity, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Am I really passionate about what I am doing with my business, service or product? And I mean REALLY! If not, is there something more you can be doing in it to turn your passion switch on? It takes an amazing amount of energy and persistence to make a business take hold in the customer’s mind. With more and more businesses competing for headspace, it’s imperative that you set yourself apart. If you are not cooking with the fuel that passion gives you, you’re missing out on a very crucial element that could mean the difference between thriving and closing.
2. Do I have a big vision of my business, service or product? Do you dream of reaching lots of customers in different ways with your product or service? Do you see a way to deliver your product or service to an increasing amount of people with less and less effort? Did you create a mindset or special approach in your field that can be delivered in a variety of mediums, i.e.- speaking, books, audio CDs, consulting, etc. Do you envision moving beyond an hour-for-hour way of providing your service? All of these support a big vision. , Not only do we begin from the inside out, when approaching your brand, we create from where you will be in five years as if it is now. Small vision does just that, keeps you small. The choice is always yours.
3. Is my product or service a real benefit to lots of customers? It’s important that you answer this one as honestly and openly as possible. I was very passionate and had a huge vision for a career as a mime! (Yes, you read that correctly… a mime.) However, no amount of passion and vision would make people buy it on a large scale. Thanks to Marceau Marceau, the mime card had been played out. You may find that by being truthful with your answers will lead to branding even better products and services.
4. Am I prepared to surround myself with a team or the knowledge to accomplish the business success that developing my business as a brand delivers? The plus side of being an entrepreneur is that you may wear many hats in your business. The negative side is that you feel like you have to! The truth is, you don’t! You’re an expert in your field and you need to honor that expertise by supporting it with a variety of other skill sets to make your indelible mark; logo design, copywriting, website design, your marketing plan creation and execution, and others. The important thing is that you realize…you’re in command…because it’s your ship! And being a commander takes knowing where you want to go, gathering the maps to make the journey, and the crew to make it happen.

If your answers to these questions are yes, then you have the makings to develop your business as a brand. You just need the knowledge and practice to do so. If you’re shaky on some of the questions, find out why. Even if you never develop your business as a brand, solid yeses to these simple questions will only make your business more successful and more enjoyable. After all, isn’t that we all want?

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Have you ever heard that only a small part (5%) of ‘all’ Home-Based Business entrepreneurs achieve success?

Do an online research on your favorite Search Engine and you will understand what I mean.

In this article I’m going to show you the KEY to Home-Based Business entrepreneurs success; you’ll find out what makes an entrepreneur succesful in the home-based business field.

Below are 5 TIPS for Home-Based Business Entrepreneurs:

1. It’s their mindset that brings success

Serious entrepreneurs have ‘programmed’ their mind to succeed no matter what. They don’t lack focus on their home-based business and let nobody stop their plans in achieving what they want.

They know what they want and they have the DESIRE to succeed. If you don’t know exactly what you want when it comes your home-based business, think about it again and re-consider your plans, what you want to achieve, a get-rick-quick or a profitable, long term business.

2. It’s their start-up plan that brings success

Smart entrepreneurs know that it takes time to set-up and grow a profitable home-based business. They plan to succeed. They have a start-up plan that might fail but they never give up and start again with a better plan.

Serious entrepreneurs know that it takes discipline and time to build a strong and solid home-based business, which delivers ongoing income through many years to come.

3. It’s their initial RESEARCH that brings success

Smart and serious entrepreneurs know the importance of market research. They know that in order, for a home-based business to succeed, they have to research their target market (their potential customers) and study their competitors.

Research your target market and study your competitors in order to have a long-term, profitable home-based business.

Know what your customers want and give it to them. Keep an eye on your competitors, study their offer(s) and make sure you come up with a better deal than them.

4. It’s their marketing strategy that brings success

Study each successful entrepreneur in your marketing field and you’ll notice how they market online / offline.

Each of them have their own ‘unique’ marketing strategy but they use the same basic principles.

Don’t re-invent the wheel. Use the main marketing concepts that are proven to work but try to improve and adjust them to your own situation. Make them work for your home-based business. Make your offer better and unique than your competitiors if you want to WIN in this business, or simply quit (I know that’s no what you really want!)

5. It’s their investment that brings success

Smart entrepreneurs know that the KEY is to work SMART, not hard. If you don’t have the required skills to develop a NEW marketing tactic for your home-based business why not hire a consultant who knows his stuff?

If you have ‘enough’ money why not invest in someone who can help you grow your home-based business and give me something to work at too?

What is more valuable to you, your time or your money?

A serious entrepreneur is ready to invest (both time and money). He knows that he will build a long-term successful business for him and the one he loves (friends, family, children, etc.)

The final (or first?) STEP you need to take in order to succeed is to act (take ACTION!). Yes, put into practice what I have told you above (the 5 TIPS for Home-Based Business Entrepreneurs) and you’ll succeed, no matter what. Trust me!

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Do you spend a lot of time and energy courting prospective new customers, hoping to pump up your bottom line? If so, you’re probably missing an untapped source of sales that exists right inside your company — there’s truth in the statement that your customer list is your most valuable asset.

There’s a gold mine of opportunities to make easier sales and create a loyal following of customers that will return time and again by using your existing customer base to grow your sales. But when I ask small business owners what action they are taking to keep in touch with current customers, the answer is normally “we don’t.”

How do you turn a pile of dusty invoices and sales receipts into profit generators for your business? How can you create loyal customers who will return time and again to increase your small business bottom line? There are three keys to creating customer loyalty.

1. Know Who They Are

Do you? Compile and maintain a list of your customers. Track their habits. Monitor your list so you know when they are doing business with you differently. Then ask why.

2. Know What They’re Worth

I overheard a remark the other day. It was, “Oh, that lady. I barely pay attention to her. She comes in twice a week, but only spends about five dollars. What a waste of my time.” Have you had the same thought about any of your customers? Before you dismiss the customer that only spends five dollars, take a look at her long-term value. How often does she purchase over time? How many people does she refer to you that have the same spending habits? A $5 customer can really be worth over $50,000 in the long term and should be treated like a queen.

3. Take Action

Your customers are busy people. They need to be reminded that you exist and how you can eliminate their pain (wants or needs). Have you ever received mail from a company and decided to save it so you could “check them out later?” Then you find that piece of mail in your “to do” stack months later and realize you never contacted them. Your customers do that too. You have to remind them. Often.

Customer loyalty is not rocket science. But it does take consistent effort. Over 90% of small business owners are letting money walk out the door of their business each and every day. Are you one of them?

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